In a modest wooden cabin, a young boy of about six or seven lay unconscious on a bed. His face was pale, and he showed no signs of waking.
Beside the bed stood two adults—one plump, the other tall and burly.
"Old Shao, how is he?"
The tall, muscular man asked with concern as he looked at the plump one.
The plump man didn't respond immediately. He continued examining the boy's condition carefully.
After a while, he finally spoke. "The effects of my healing candy have kicked in. He's stable now. He should wake up soon."
"That's good to hear."
The tall man let out a sigh of relief. He had rescued the child from a small village that had been slaughtered by bandits.
The boy was the only survivor. Everyone else in the village was dead.
"This child's constitution is unusual. Otherwise, even with my healing candy, he wouldn't have recovered so quickly," the plump man remarked thoughtfully as he gazed at the boy.
"Fortunate indeed—he's got a strong life force. To survive something like that…" the tall man replied, brushing off the observation as mere luck.
Of course, if he hadn't brought the boy back to Shrek Academy, survival would've been impossible.
That's right—this was Soto City, home to the famous Shrek Academy.
The tall man was none other than the Unmovable King, Zhao Wuji, while the plump one was the candy master, Shao Xin.
As the two men talked, the young boy on the bed finally stirred and opened his eyes.
He woke up with a dull ache in his head. Looking around the unfamiliar room, his gaze was filled with confusion and astonishment.
A strange wooden cabin. Two unfamiliar adults. The boy felt unsettled.
"He's awake!"
Zhao Wuji's face lit up with delight when he saw the boy regain consciousness.
Shao Xin leaned in and asked kindly, "You're awake, child. Are you feeling any discomfort?"
The boy stared blankly at the two of them, stunned—because he realized something unbelievable.
He had become a child.
He had clearly been an adult before.
"Old Shao, something's not right. Didn't you say he was fine?"
Zhao Wuji frowned, sensing something was off.
"This shouldn't be happening…"
Shao Xin looked puzzled and stepped forward to examine the boy again.
When Shao Xin took his hand, the boy flinched slightly.
"Don't be afraid, child. I just want to check one more time," Shao Xin said with a kind smile.
Although still confused, the boy didn't resist. He simply looked quietly at Shao Xin and Zhao Wuji.
"Strange. He really is fine," Shao Xin muttered after rechecking him.
By now, the boy's initial shock had faded, replaced by a calm, contemplative expression.
"He really seems okay now," Zhao Wuji said, more at ease.
"The unfamiliar environment and people probably just startled him," Shao Xin guessed as he looked at the boy. He then tried to reassure him:
"Child, this man next to me saved your life. You're safe now—there's no need to be afraid anymore…"
Zhao Wuji added warmly, "You were the only survivor in that entire village. You need to live well. From now on, this will be your home—and we will be your family."
After listening to them for a while, the boy finally spoke:
"Where… is this place?"
At this moment, he had already confirmed the bizarre truth—he hadn't just regressed in age.
He hadn't simply returned to his childhood.
Zhao Wuji had said he was rescued from a village. But based on his identity, how could he have ever appeared in such a place?
And besides, this body—though he hadn't yet seen his face—wasn't his childhood body.
There were differences, like the absence of the birthmark he once had.
There was only one conclusion—
He had turned into a child. But not just that—he was in an entirely new body.
It was utterly unbelievable.
Even more shocking, he suspected he wasn't even on the Sun-Moon Continent anymore.
He might not even be in his original world.
"This is Shrek Academy," Zhao Wuji replied with a smile. "Child, what's your name? How old are you?"
Shrek Academy?
That Shrek Academy?
The boy was stunned—but he quickly concealed his emotions and calmly replied,
"My name is Xu Yunhan, and I'm seven years old. What should I call you two?"
Though his tone didn't match that of a typical child, neither Zhao Wuji nor Shao Xin seemed to notice.
Shao Xin chuckled and said, "I'm Shao Xin, and he's Zhao Wuji. We're both teachers here at Shrek Academy."
"By the way, Xu Yunhan is a nice name. Let me ask you—have you ever tested or awakened your martial soul?"
"If you have one, you can begin cultivating here at Shrek Academy."
Shao Xin… Zhao Wuji…
Did I… travel back thousands of years?
Xu Yunhan was shaken by the impossible reality unfolding before him.
Though turmoil raged in his heart, his face remained calm. He even feigned ignorance and asked,
"What's a martial soul?"
"Looks like he hasn't awakened it yet," Shao Xin glanced at Zhao Wuji, his eyes hopeful. "Let's give him a few days to rest and then try awakening it. Who knows, we might be in for a pleasant surprise."
Zhao Wuji nodded with a smile. "Sounds good."
As for whether this body had a martial soul—Xu Yunhan didn't know.
But if it didn't, he would be nothing more than a powerless mortal.
And that, Xu Yunhan could not accept.
"I feel fine now. I want to try," Xu Yunhan said urgently, even more eager than Zhao Wuji or Shao Xin to find out if he had a martial soul. He quickly climbed out of bed.
Zhao Wuji smiled and looked at Shao Xin.
Shao Xin studied Xu Yunhan for a moment and nodded. "His condition seems stable. Let's give it a try."
"Alright," Zhao Wuji said as he turned to Xu Yunhan.
"Now try to activate your martial soul—if you have one."
From his storage soul tool, Zhao Wuji retrieved an instrument used to assist in the martial soul awakening process and gently placed it on Xu Yunhan.
A faint glow spread across Xu Yunhan's body, lingering for a moment before fading.
"Now, focus your mind…"
Zhao Wuji guided him patiently, teaching him how to sense and channel the martial soul within his body and manifest it in his hand.
And to this—
Xu Yunhan was surprisingly adept.
At this very moment, a gleam of joy had already appeared on Xu Yunhan's face—because the instant Zhao Wuji activated the martial soul within him, Xu Yunhan had sensed its presence.
In the next instant, a White Tiger Martial Soul materialized in front of him.
"He has a martial soul!"
"And it's a White Tiger!"
All three—Zhao Wuji, Shao Xin, and Xu Yunhan—were visibly elated as they examined the manifested martial soul.
Shao Xin exclaimed in surprise, "It even has wings… A White Tiger with the ability to fly?"
Zhao Wuji's eyes widened. "And look—it has a third eye. Could it be a mutated martial soul?"
Shao Xin pondered for a moment and said, "It must be a mutated form of the White Tiger martial soul. Whether it's a good or bad mutation… we can't say for sure yet. Quickly, check his soul power level!"
At that, Zhao Wuji immediately began inspecting Xu Yunhan's soul power.
Meanwhile, Xu Yunhan was silently comparing the White Tiger martial soul before him with the one he had originally possessed.
He had once lived on the Sun-Moon Continent, ten thousand years in the future.
He was the son of Huo Yuhao and Juzi, born with a mutated Three-Eyed White Tiger martial soul.
That martial soul not only carried the powerful traits of the White Tiger's offensive capabilities but also held remarkable spiritual power.
But now, Xu Yunhan had arrived in the distant past—on the ancient Douluo Continent—and had reawakened his martial soul.
Compared to the Three-Eyed White Tiger martial soul he once had, this current version had an additional pair of wings, granting him the ability to fly.
What's more, this new Three-Eyed White Tiger martial soul gave him a stronger physique and greater spiritual strength than ever before.
In other words—this version of the Three-Eyed White Tiger was far more powerful than the one he originally possessed.
Which meant that Xu Yunhan's future potential had also become even greater.
"Tang San… I'll be waiting for you at Shrek Academy!"
As the name crossed his mind, a deep hatred surged in Xu Yunhan's heart.
Now that he had come to this ancient era of the Douluo Continent, it was only natural that he would seek revenge against Tang San.
At the same time, Xu Yunhan saw something else—
A chance to ascend to godhood!